The ancient Jewish prophet Habakkuk is one of the "Minor Prophets" of which little is known. Most likely, he prophesied in the latter years of King Josiah making him a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah. This prophecy is a warning to the Jewish people about coming chastisement, as they would be taken into the Babylonian captivity as a result of their sins.

As you read through this short warning message to the Jewish people you will notice that Habakkuk is more concerned that the "holiness of God" be vindicated than that Israel should escape judgment. In fact, Habakkuk sees the "holiness of God" as the reason He will have to judge those who He chose to represent Him here on the earth.

Jeremiah reveals to the Jews of his day that because they did not follow God's command to give the land a Sabbath every seven years, the Jews would be punished. The Jews were to rest the land, Leviticus 25:8-23. They would be judged for their neglect to obey the Lord.

God then would raise up the Babylonians (the Chaldeans) to take the Jewish people out of the land to give the land the "seventy years" of rest required by God's law, II Chronicles 36.

Habakkuk had a message that confirmed the prophetic message of Jeremiah about the Babylonians taking the Jews into captivity. However, in his message of "retribution", Habakkuk had a message of "restoration".

This prophecy reveals the love that God has for His people and His greatness, one who will do a great work among the Jews even as they are under His judgment, verse 5.

Prophetic passages have a short-term fulfillment and/or a long-term fulfillment. Sometimes, a prophecy will be speaking of a short-term and a long-term fulfillment. This is the case in Habakkuk 1:5

As the book of Ezra records in chapters 1-6, the Lord raises up the leader of the Medo-Persian Empire - Cyrus, Ezra 1:2-4, to allow the Jews to return to Jerusalem and to build the Temple. Thus you have the short-term fulfillment.

The Jews today are beginning to witness the Lord doing a great work among them as He has brought them from the four corners of the earth back to the land of their forefathers.

In a future tomorrow, His holiness will even do a greater work among the Jewish people. We are living in the days that Habakkuk was writing about.